My Starter is a Batter's Bull's Eye

In 2008, I (we?) lost Chris Young (not to be confused with Krispie Young) thanks to an Albert Pujols comebacker. Ouch.

This year, it was Jeff Niemann's turn to become the batter's bull's eye, getting smacked square on his back right shoulder by a Miguel Tejada shot. Some luck.

Good thing I pocketed caution from the wind and benched Niemann today against the Baltimore Orioles.

The preliminary word from the Tampa Bay Rays camps is that Niemann is day-to-day with a bruised shoulder. Yes, his throwing shoulder. Place him on the 15-day DL! Yes, at least give us that much: a free roster spot to work with.

Yawn

With just four games on the MLB schedule on Monday - one of them being a make-up game for the Cubs and Braves (with most of the Cubs starters sitting) - I grabbed Skip Schumaker and Kahlil Greene for some plug and play action on Sunday.

Being a handful of games behind in 2B and SS - with Chase Utley and Derek Jeter getting breathers here and there - I figured that the St. Louis middle infielders, with the Cardinals offensive rolling (39 runs in the past three games) could help.

I picked up Kahlil Greene before the season started, during the league's free agent and rookie draft, thinking the move from the spacious PETCO Park and to Busch Stadium would do Greene some good.

Wrong. But I'm guessing this social anxiety disorder issue with Greene has probably always existed, back in San Diego, and even prior. Most mental/social issues don't just manifest all of a sudden in your mid-twenties.

Schumaker and Greene combined for two hits in seven at-bats, and notching an RBI and a run, respectively. Fine. But nothing exciting. Yawn.

Is it so horrible that at times I feel like baseball action is the only thing I look forward to on a given day?